Musculata: Late Roman Legionary Armour?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Also, I was referring to wearing leather Musculatas underneath of chainmail - cause the hardened leather would absorb shock and prevent blunt trauma wounds, and keep chainmail out of any wounds that were inflicted (helping prevent infection).

There is nothing to suggest that they ever wore musculatas with mail armour. There is nothing to suggest that they wore leather musculatas in battle at all.

I'd imagine so - armor got more and more expensive after the romans began suffering repeated defeats for the first time in the 3rd century because they had to equip and re-equip.

I'd love to see a cite for this. Ideally from a primary source.

Unfortunately pretty much all I have on hand is a pretty lousy translation of Hydatius and a Latin Copy of Merobaudes, plus some notes from one of Peter Heather's books. I just remember seeing that somewhere.

We're moving. :/